Monessen will analyze downtown parking

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After hearing complaints this week, Monessen Mayor Lou Mavrakis said he will – at a work session Monday – look into purported parking problems.

The complaints were made on behalf of Felicia's Restaurant and the Fraternal Order of Eagles club on Schoonmaker Avenue.

Mavrakis said most of the complaints were rooted in Schoonmaker in the area from Third to Fifth streets.

“But we have to look at the whole city downtown,” Mavrakis said.

Monessen police Chief John Mandarino said he will check the area and determine what is meter parking and what is permit parking.

“One problem we have is that out of our 200 permit parking places, we only sell maybe 150 of those,” Mandarino said.

“If we have to come up with a map of what is metered and what is permit, it could be done.”

Mavrakis emphasized the importance of businesses.

“We'll check into the problem and see where we can free up parking for the businesses in the city,” Mavrakis said after the meeting.

Insurance

Council heard a presentation by Greg Dacko and Tom Svrcek of CSC Insurance Options in Rostraver Township, regarding the city's insurance coverage.

Svrcek offered a no-cost option to the city.

“They're asking to be named as the broker of record,” city Solicitor Al Gaudio said. “If they do that, then they can present to council the advantages they can offer and council would have to decide how to act.”

Gaudio said that as Rostraver Township's solicitor, he has prior business experience with CSC.

“We really didn't have too much cooperation previously to secure a quote,” Svrcek said. “This year, we were graciously invited in and were allowed to assess your current program.

“After reviewing the current insurance, which comes due at different times, we have a strategy that really wouldn't cost the city anything, and you'd have access to one of our four underwriters that are available to answer any questions.”

One of the CSC underwriters is a former Donora borough administrator with a background in police pension work, Dacko said.

“The mayor or the solicitor can pick up the phone at anytime,” Dacko said.

“In Rostraver, we have a company that does all the business ... the liability, the police professional, the directors and officers, the worker's compensation – all on one policy, all on one bill,” Svrcek said.

He said that's probably the best way to go.

“We took a look at the policies in Monessen, and there's a hodgepodge of expiration dates and coverages with six different companies,” Svrcek said.

“I'm not saying it's bad, but you're buying your insurance a la carte, and it's kind of all over the board. Your main policy is with CNA, which is a good company and a company that we represent.”

Most of the existing policies expire in July, so Svrcek said it would probably be best to make a decision then.

“We're asking if you would name us the broker of record,” he said. “We don't want you to cancel the policy, just wait ' til July. That's the best time for you to look at everything.”

He said a switch in July would make it easier to conduct business, “and should be much cheaper.”

The city's current broker is RFP and Associates of Latrobe.

“They'd still be your broker until July,” Svrcek said of RFP.

“But we could service your policy and help in servicing and letting you guys know what to do.

“A broker record letter would also allow us to renegotiate the premium for July. And that's what we're asking, to negotiate all premiums with all the carriers we have for July 1.”

Jeremy Sellew is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at jsellew@tribweb.com or 724-684-2667.

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